A total of 156,963 Marylanders enrolled in private health coverage for 2019 through the state's Affordable Care Act marketplace, rising 2 percent increase over last year.
The slight increase after enrollment numbers dropped by about 4,000 last year, as premium prices for individual health insurance plans once again surged by double-digit percentages. The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, operator of the state's ACA marketplace, hoped to see enrollment numbers recover this year thanks to new cost-saving measures and an increased marketing budget. The enrollment gains were largely attributed to lower-priced plans available in Maryland specifically this year, following the creation of a reinsurance program that helps insurers stave off the greater financial losses seen from covering individual market customers.